Back Day

Stand or sit tall with arms relaxed by your sides.

Lift your shoulders up toward your ears, then roll them back and down in a smooth circle.

Complete several circles, then reverse the direction (forward).

Keep the neck soft and breathe steadily.

Feel the shoulder blades sliding and the upper back waking up.

Stand tall with arms extended straight out to the sides.

Make small forward circles with your arms.

Let the circles grow a little as the shoulders warm up.

Reverse direction and make backward circles.

Keep shoulders down and core braced.

Breathe steadily.

Stand with your back, butt, and head against a wall.

Place your arms in a W shape with elbows at 90 degrees.

Slowly slide your arms up the wall into a Y shape.

Keep your wrists and elbows touching the wall if possible.

Slide back down to the W position.

Move slowly and keep your core braced.

Set a sturdy bar about hip height, or use rings or a solid table edge. Lie underneath with an overhand or neutral grip, hands about shoulder-width.

Bend the knees with feet flat for an easier start, or straighten the legs. Brace the glutes and abs so the body forms a straight line from head to heels (or knees).

Unshrug the shoulders. Soft ribs. Soft neck.

Pull the chest toward the bar by driving the elbows back and squeezing the shoulder blades. Lead with the chest, not the chin.

Pause a breath at the top if the blades stay quiet, then lower under control until the arms are long.

Raise the bar or bend the knees the moment the hips sag or a shoulder pinches. Leave a rep or two when the line softens.

Pick your set-up. Supported: one hand and the same-side knee on a sturdy chair seat or bench, bell in the other hand. Free-standing: soft knees, hinge at the hips, a bell in each hand.

Keep a flat back from head to tail. Brace lightly. Let the working arm hang long under the shoulder.

Pull the elbow back toward your hip pocket, close to your side.

Squeeze the shoulder blade back and down at the top. No shrug, and no twisting the chest open.

Lower slowly until the arm is long again and you feel the upper back stretch.

Breathe out as you pull, in as you lower. On one-arm rows, finish the set and then switch sides.

Grip a fixed pull-up bar with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width.

Hang with shoulders engaged and core braced.

Pull your chest toward the bar — no neck craning.

Pause briefly at the top if form stays crisp.

Lower with a slow, controlled descent.

Rest and reset when reps get sloppy.

Hold the bar with hands about shoulder-width, palms down. Soft knees, hinge until the torso is roughly 45 degrees or a little higher, back flat.

Let the bar hang under the shoulders. Brace the core. Neck long.

Pull the bar to the lower ribs by driving the elbows back and squeezing the shoulder blades. Do not yank with the arms alone.

Pause a breath at the top. Torso does not bounce.

Lower the bar under control until the arms are long. Inhale on the way down, exhale as you pull.

If the back rounds or you have to heave the torso, raise the torso, lighten the bar, or switch to Dumbbell Rows.

Stand in a doorway with forearms resting on the frame.

Keep elbows around shoulder height or a little lower.

Step one foot forward and gently lean through the doorway.

Stop when you feel an easy stretch across your chest.

Breathe steadily and keep your neck relaxed.

Step back out slowly when finished.

Stand or sit tall.

Bring one arm across your body at about chest height.

Use the opposite hand to gently hug or press the upper arm closer to the chest.

Keep the stretched shoulder relaxed and down.

Hold and breathe, then switch sides.

Stand or sit tall.

Reach one arm straight up, then bend the elbow so the hand points down the upper back.

Use the opposite hand to gently press or hold the elbow, increasing the stretch along the tricep and side of the shoulder.

Keep the neck long and the ribs soft.

Hold, breathe, switch arms.